Freddie huffed. “I thought he was stronger than that.”
Neona winced. Thank God Zoltan’s pride was as dead as he was at the moment. She slipped inside the house, quickly shutting the door behind her. He was still stretched out on Minerva’s bed, barely visible in the dark.
She set the bowl of soup on the table next to the uneaten dinner from last night. Then she took a candle from the mantelpiece and hurried back outside. The women hushed and exchanged glances when she approached. No doubt they had been discussing Zoltan’s inability to perform. He would most probably be annoyed by her current strategy, but it seemed like the best way to buy some time. They wouldn’t kill him as long as they were waiting for her to get pregnant.
Freddie stood and brushed off her pants. “Freya and I are going to our father’s cabin to bring back the presents. You want to come?”
“I should keep an eye on Zoltan.” Neona lit her candle from the central fire pit. “I’ll see you in a few hours.”
She rushed back to her house and lit the fire in the hearth. Then she wedged the lit candle into the holder on her bedside table.
“There. Now I can see.” She glanced at Zoltan. His eyes were still closed, and he hadn’t budged.
Her gaze drifted to the black box sitting on the bedside table. “Is this another gift for me?”
No response. He just lay there, looking gorgeous with the firelight glimmering over his muscled body and handsome face.
She opened the black box, and her breath caught. Two gold bands. A larger one for a man. A smaller one for a woman. She’d read about these in the books Frederic had left behind. A man and woman exchanged vows and rings at their wedding.
Her eyes misted with tears. Zoltan wanted to marry her. Didn’t he realize that marriage never worked for the women of Beyul-La? Calliope’s husband had deserted her. And Zoltan’s mother, Dohna, had ended up dead.
Would Zoltan try to repeat his father’s actions? Would he try to lure her away from the valley and her sacred duty?
Just last night Neona had urged Tashi to run away and live with the man she loved. But he was a villager. A mortal, who lived close by. She and any future daughters she had could still visit Beyul-La and help fulfill their sacred duty.
Marriage to Zoltan would mean marriage to a vampire. A husband with fangs? Would she have children with fangs?
She snapped the box shut and set it back on the table. There was no point in even imagining it. She couldn’t leave Beyul-La. She was the only healer left. Everyone counted on her.
Her eyes filled with tears as she removed her sparkly watch and set it beside the black box. Then she sat on the edge of her bed and gazed at Zoltan.
“It’s impossible,” she whispered.
Neona woke to a loud squeaking noise. She lay in bed, disoriented for a few seconds. She hadn’t intended to fall asleep again, but after eating all the food on the table, she’d stretched out on her bed with nothing to do other than stare at Zoltan.
She blinked. His bed was empty.
With a gasp, she sat up.
“Good evening.” He smiled at her as he twisted the top off a bottle of blood.
While he drank, Neona looked him over. He was standing next to the wooden chest. The open box, containing ice and his bottles of blood, sat on top of the chest. He’d slipped his blue pants back on, but they were unfastened and rested low on his hips. A line of dark hair ran from his navel into his black underwear. She swallowed hard and lifted her gaze. The stab wound by his ribs was completely gone. No doubt his arrow wound was completely healed, too.
She ventured a quick glance at his face and stiffened when she realized he had been studying her, too. She looked away and busied herself, unbraiding her hair. The wildflowers had fallen from her hair onto her pillow while she’d slept. She gathered the wilted flowers up, then eased past Zoltan to the fireplace, where she tossed them in. Another log had been added to the fire.
She glanced at Zoltan. “Have you been up long?”
“Just a few minutes.” He finished his bottle and grimaced. “Cold blood.” He shoved the empty bottle back into the box. When he closed the lid, it made the same squeaking noise that had awakened her.
“Of course, I could have enjoyed some fresh, warm blood.” He turned to her, his eyes darkening as he looked her over. “I woke up with a terrible hunger and there you were, lying so close, smelling so sweet. Tempting the hell out of me.”
She stepped back. “You wanted to bite me?”
“I’m a vampire. Of course I did.” He shrugged. “But I didn’t. So do you trust me now?”
“No!”
His amber-colored eyes gleamed with humor. “Then we have no choice but to continue with the original plan to earn your trust. Ten climaxes, one at a time.”
She had a feeling he’d set her up. “I didn’t agree to that.”
The corner of his mouth curled up. “One little climax. You’re not afraid of that, are you?”
“I’m a warrior. I laugh at fear.”
His eyes sparkled. “Good. Then we’ll start tonight.”
“Says who?” She lifted her chin. “Are you smirking at me?”
His smile widened. “Never.” He opened the wooden chest and put his supply of blood back in. Then he removed a small bag from his duffel bag. “Is there a place to shower around here?”
“I usually go to Frederic’s valley, where the stream from Beyul-La shoots out from the rock wall.”
“I know where that is. Do you have any towels?”
“We cannot leave this valley.”
“Of course we can. They’ll never know we left the house. We’ll teleport.”
Her mouth dropped open. “I-I’d rather not.”
“Afraid?”
“Of course not. But I’m supposed to keep you here.”
“You’re supposed to guard me. That’s why you should come with me.” He stepped closer. “What if I tried to escape?”
She snorted. “You could escape anytime you want.”
“Towel?”
“Fine.” She moved to the shelves in the corner next to the hearth. “Here. Go take your shower.” She grabbed a linen towel from the stack.
When she turned, her breath caught. He was right next to her. With a very determined look on his face. “What are you doing? You shouldn’t sneak up—”
He grabbed her and everything went black. A few seconds later, her feet landed and she stumbled.
“Easy.” He steadied her.
“You startled me!” She shoved at his chest.
With a smile, he released her and stepped back. “Just one of the many thrills in store for you tonight.”
“I didn’t agree!” She threw the towel at him.
He caught it and sauntered along the stream, headed for the rock wall.
She looked around. Good Lord, she’d actually teleported with him. They were in the next valley, not far from Frederic’s cabin. In the distance, she could see where the water jetted through the rock wall. The grass felt cold and damp under her bare feet. She hadn’t even had time to put on her shoes.
As she approached the waterfall, she watched Zoltan setting his towel and small bag on a flat rock.
He waved at her before heading toward a clump of trees and bushes. “I’m not running away. I’ll be right back.”
What was he doing? She ventured closer, then turned away when she realized he was relieving himself. She leaned over to peer at his small bag. It had the same sort of metal closure that his blue pants did. She tugged at the metal tab and smiled when it slid along the top of the bag, opening it.
“You like zippers?” He stopped beside her and dropped his pants to the ground. “I’ll let you practice with my jeans next time.”
“Jeans?”
“My pants.” He folded them and set them on the rock next to the towel. “Would you like to shower with me?”
“No. I’m fine.” She stepped back. When he hooked his thumbs into the waistband of his underwear, she quickly looked away. Something grazed her toes, and she jumped back. The rascal had tossed his underwear at her as if he was daring her to take a peek.
Very well. She wasn’t a coward. She did. He was leaning over his small bag, and he pulled out two of the smallest containers she’d ever seen. And they were clear. She could see some sort of liquid inside. When he straightened, she caught a glimpse of his manhood before turning away. Good Lord, he was huge.